The Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science and the USDA Northern Forests and Southwest Climate Hubs are offering the Adaptation Planning and Practices training as an online course for land managers (in a series of seven 1-hour sessions).

This unique opportunity provides hands-on training in considering climate change information and identifying adaptation actions for natural resources management professionals working in forests and native ecosystems. Participants will receive coaching and feedback on their own real-world climate adaptation project throughout the course.

Information will focus on forests, watersheds, and native ecosystems in Hawai‘i, Maui, and O‘ahu, specifically partner projects involved in the Hawai‘i Drought Knowledge Exchange.

Through this course, participants will be able to:

• Identify locally-important climate change impacts challenges, and opportunities
• Develop specific actions to adapt forests and native ecosystems to changing conditions
• Use the Adaptation Workbook to create their own “climate-informed” projects
• Better communicate with stakeholders about key climate change impacts, challenges, and opportunities
• Access post-training support from NIACS and Climate Hub staff during project planning and implementation

Download the Save the Date to learn more.

Course Registration

We ask participants to bring real-world projects of your very own to use as examples as a way to get the most from this course. Ideally, this is a relevant project from your work, such as a management plan or another effort that you're currently working on. During the course, we'll help you consider how climate change could affect your project area and your management, and what adaptation options you have available. At the end of the course,  you’ll have a custom-built adaptation plan that’s ready to implement!

There is no registration fee thanks to support from the US Forest Service, the USDA Northern Forests Climate Hub, the USDA Southwest Climate Hub, and the Pacific Islands Climate Adaptation Science Center.

Click here to RSVP for the course! 

How does the online course work?

The eight-week online course draws on a combination of regular webinars and discussions with all participants, as well as independent work time to create adaptation projects. Throughout the course, participants will develop (individually or in small groups) their own climate-informed adaptation project.

• Seven 1-hour web meetings bring together all course participants to present and discuss key concepts, and smaller group sessions to share insights and questions related to individual projects. We expect participants to attend all sessions, but meetings will be recorded for those who may need to miss a session. The weekly meeting time will be determined based on the availability of participants. 
• Assignments will guide participants through the new material, actively engaging them with recorded presentations, the online Adaptation Workbook, and other activities. Participants will be assigned work to complete before each session, which is generally expected to take 2-4 hours to complete. 

Course Agenda

Session 1 (week 1) — Course Introduction; Defining Project Goals and Objectives. Introduce projects and participants in small groups

Session 2 (week 2) — Understanding and Evaluating Climate Change Vulnerabilities.

Session 3 (week 3) — Evaluating Management Challenges and Opportunities. Check-in with instructors: Each project schedules short meeting with course instructors (optional)

Session 4 (week 4) — Identifying Adaptation Strategies, Approaches, and Tactics. 

BREAK No session (week 5)

Session 5 (week 6) — Monitoring and Evaluating Effectiveness. Check-in with instructors 

Session 6 (week 7) — Climate Change Communication. 

Session 7 (week 8) — Sharing Adaptation Projects.

Continuing education credits are requested for each course from the International Society of Arboriculture and the Society of American Foresters.

Download the Step 1 Worksheet and complete before the course begins.